Bio
My work primarily focuses on understanding and modeling vegetation, hydrology, and wildfire dynamics within the Earth system. To achieve this, I integrate field measurements, satellite observations, process-based land surface and Earth system models, and a suite of statistical approaches, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, and detection and attribution techniques. I am particularly committed to identifying and attributing ecosystem variations to both natural and anthropogenic drivers, with an emphasis on atmosphere–land–human interactions. My research spans wildfire science, soil moisture dynamics, urban ecosystem resilience, and geoengineering, offering novel insights into how human activities reshape natural systems. I also focus on the analysis and modeling of fire–grid feedbacks and the mitigation of wildfire risks to powerlines and critical infrastructure. My contributions have been recognized through publications in leading journals such as Nature and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In addition to research, I actively mentor students and early-career scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and in academic settings.